Study Field
This is the page containing all kinds of my reflection stuff on study here
NB: They are Personal, but not Private : )
No Kidding @ TKTL
Studying CS is no kidding.
I've been warned many times before coming here. However, it still takes me almost two years to catch the point. Finally and yet, Hopefully.
To help remember the lessons and gainings along the way, write down sth here. purely Aaron's style :)
With regards to MSc @ TKTL - Nothing is Impossible
Classes, one after another ..
Interesting and Challenging courses here, pure personal
- Peer-to-Peer Networks:
There is a series of programming tasks in the course, very valuable IMHO. One task is to implement 3 famous (or 'infamous') DHT algorithms and test their performance. The algorithms include the MIT Chord, UC Berkeley CAN, and UCB Tapestry. I implement them all in C. Just can't believe I even managed to get them running in the end, with the fact other guys coding them mainly in Python or JAVA. The guidance from Prof. Jussi Kangasharju played a key role. And I must confess, Jussi's German style exam is really mathematically impressive : )
- Concurrent Programming:
One of the Top 3 monster courses at department, according to Finns' comments. Indeed intensive, indeed aggressive, and in the end even made me 'sweat out' totally. The teamwork project taught me for the first time how to conduct international cooperation (China + Finland + Russia), and brought me a real Finnish friend as present. For that, I will always remember this course, although it's the only 3 point on my record ( to be honest, never expect I could reach CP 3 at TKTL, and I even wrote a learning diary for the course which got full score :)
#as complimentary course, CP is not included in MSc.
- Distributed Systems:
Prof. Lea Kutvonen ended this course with a comment, ' In real life, distributed systems just Don't Work~ '. You could imagine the appearence on our faces at that moment, after fighting against this 'nightmare' course for months.. Finnish type of humor :)
- Data Structures:
Another monster of the Top 3. I take the course for two simple reasons:
1) MIT book;
2) The name of the teacher is Jyrki Kivinen, the professor admired by Zeba as 'Pure Evil' : )
Seriously speaking, Jyrki is a very very strict person, while being incredibly patient and considerate to international students. He helped me so much during that semester. I could say that without challenging myself to attend his course, I would never get back to the right track after being lost in the winter 2006. And that 'VIP' exercise session of his course is indeed a unique experience in my life: every week 1 - 2 hours face2face meeting in his office. Me, yes, alone..
- Operating Systems:
At the birth place of Linux, it's almost a compulsory for all the CS nuts here. This course took me half a year to sail through an unforgettable OS journey. I really enjoy it, except that I have to get up at 7:00 AM during the cold Finnish winter for exercise sessions. The team project is also cool - I learned a lot from the German and Austrian peers (yes I know, guys who speak German are always tough, including even ladies :)
- Models of Computation:
The Final Monster of the top 3, and again, it's in Jyrki's hand. This is the only course making me feel indeed satisfied, when I realize the final result of 55/60. A precious Five from the final monster
- sounds like a tale, isn't it :)
Courses that I would very much like to take, however..
- Linux Adminstration:
Given by my first academic advisor in Finland, Prof. Jukka Manner. He is my idol in Linux hacking and Networking fields. Well, I did have chance to take his course, but at that time Jukka simply 'recommended' me to take it later. And then~ he hop to TKK next year to become a tenure!! ( Hei Jukka, if u hit here, give me a justified && acceptable excuse for that :)
- Performance Evaluation:
Given by Prof. Timo Alanko, covering all the essential parts of system performance analysis. Senior fellow Xiang has taken this course in 2005. The comments according to him, in one word - GREAT!!! and even more
But Timo retired the same year as I joined our department. Pity Pity ;(
- Any course given by Prof. Kimmo Raatikainen:
The person guiding me to the world of research. Human words are too shallow to convey my gratitude to this admirable Mentor.
Last modified: Friday May 30, 2008